Device for conning submarine boats.



L. Y. SPEAR. DEVICE FOR GONNING' SUBMARINE BOATS.

APPLIOATION FILED DBO. 29,1904.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Q/viT-neo-oca I L. Y. SPEAR. DEVICE FOR GONNING SUBMARINE BOATS.

APPLICATION FILED DB'O.29,1904.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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LAWBEIICE SPEAR. 0F GREENPOBT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNGR T0 ELECTRIC BOATCOMPANY, GF GBEEIIPOBR. NEW YORK. v

DEVICE FOR CflNNING SUBMARTNE BOA'ES.

sensor.

Epecification of Let't'ersFatent.

Patented Apr. 12, 1910.

original application filed Eloy 26, 19%, Serial No. 209,9?8. Divided andthis application filed December 29,

To all whom it may cancer Be it known that I, Lnwnnnon Y. SrnAR, acitizen of the United States, residing at Greenport, in the county ofSuffolk and Stateof New York, have ,invcnted'certain new and usefulImprovements in Devices for conning Submarine Boats, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to the class of submarine and submergible boatswherein the boat is fitted with optical instruments or devices known asaltiscopes, periscopes, etc, which are designed to enable the steers-manor observer in the vessel to observe surrounding objects from a pointconsiderably below the level of the water.

The object of the present. invention is to improve the construction,mounting and operativeness of the conning means or devices, as will behereinafter explained. The novel features of the invention will becarefully defined in the claims.

- In the accompanying drawings, which illustrate an embodiment of theinvention Figure 1 is asectional elevation of the device taken along theaxis of the boat, showing the conning tower of the boat, and the 0 ticaltube in section; and Fig. .2 is a sectlonal. view showing the devicesembodied in this application in elevation as seen from the leftinFig. 1. Figs. 8, 4 and 5 are enlarged fragmentary detail viewsillustrating the construction of the lower part of the optical tube andthe mechanism for operating it. F ig, 3 shows the gearing for drivmgFig. l is a section at line at in Fig. 5, and Fig. 5 is an enlargedsectional View of the lower part of the optical tube and the eyepiece.Figs. 6 and 7 are enlarged detail views of the indicator, the formerbeing a section and the latter a face view.

B designates in Fig. 1) a fragment of the hull of the boat, and T a partof the conning tower mounted thereon. At the side of the turret, ortower T, and preferably in a vertical lane passing through the boatslongitudinal axis forward, is an upright socket or sheath 8, to receivean optical tube 9 (sec in axial longitudinal section in Fig. 1). Thesocket 8 may be cast or made in one piece with the tower, as l box 22therein.

the indicator taken at in Fig. 1;

Serial No. 238,797. 1

shown, but this integral construction is not essential to the presentinvention. The optical tube is fitted or supplied in any desired mannerwith reflectors, and if desired, with lenses, in order to receive at itsupper exterior end the light rays from an observed object and deflectthe same down the tube and from its lower, interior end into ahorizontal eyepiece 10. The tube 9 is fitted removably in its socket andmounted rotatably about its vertical axis, and it has the necessarymeans for preventin access of water to the outer end of the soc at andto enable it to rotate axially without undue friction. The means foreffecting these ends, illustrated in Fig. 1, are substantially the sameas those shown in my United States Patent No. 751,569, and are notherein claimed.

In the present construction the reflector at the upper and outer end ofthe optical tube, is a prism 11, inclosed in a box or casing 12, borneon the upper end of the tube; this prismturns with the tube so as toface in any direction desired. The lower reflector, however, which is aprism 13, is not carried by nor rotative with the tube 9, but is setor'fittcd in'a fixed casting or hollow support 14, (soon in section inFig. 1), which has on its upper face a short cylindrical tube 15, thatfits accurately into the lower end of the optical tube and forms abearing to support and center the lower end of the tube 9 and connect itoperatively with the eyepiece 10 and lower prism 13. Thesocket 16 of theeyepiece is screwed or otherwise secured in the inner upright face ofthe cast ing 14, and has a watertight connection with the upright frontplate 17 of achamber C, which incloses the lower prism 13, and theadjacent parts. The inner end of the eyepiece socketthat is to say, theend within the chamber C,is closed water-tight by a. transparent plate18, seen in Fig. 5. The tube of the eyepiece may be telescopicallyslidable in the socket 16.

On the optical tube 9, within the chamber C, is secured a gear wheel 19,which gears with a toothed wheel 20, fixed on the upper part of anupright shaft 21, which passes down'through the bottom" plate 17 of thechamber C, and is rotatable in a stufling- The shaft 21 may be rotatedby any known means as a crank or hand-wheel 21 thereon. It is notmaterial to this invention how this shaft is rotated; it is onlynecessary to explain that through the medium of this shaft and the gearsthe optical tube may be turned about its upright axis, While the lowerprism or reflector 13 remains stationary with respect to the tube 9.

In order that the observer may note the bearing of the object of whichhe sees the image through the eyepiece, the following means areemployed. Within the chamber 0 is a pinion 23, gearing with the Wheel19, and serving to transmit motion through shafts 24: and 25, and gearwheels 26 (Fig. 3), tothe hand or pointer t of an indicator on the frontplate of the chamberC. This indicator comprises a disk 27, with asleevelike stem in which the shaft 25, hearing the pointer, rotates.This disk is stationary, and in its face is mounted rotatively butfrictionally, a compass card 28. This card may be turned about overthet'ace of the disk but will be held by suitable frictional means inany position desired. (See Fig. On this card is a lubbcrs line or mark awhich, when the instrument has its optical tube so turned that the upperreflector or prism 11 receives the light ravs from an object which isdirectly ahead, will be co-incident with the pointer at of theindicator; and in the optical tube is a cross wire w, which, under thesame circumstances, will be co-incident with a vertical plane passingthroughthe longitudinal axis of the boat. This wire divides the field ofview into two equal parts, and serves as a direction index to show'thedirection in which the object lens is pointed. That is to say, when theobject lens is pointed dead ahead the horizon appears as a horizon talline and the cross-wire as a vertical line.

As the object lens is rotated the horizon line assumes an inclined'position, remaining however, at right angles to the line formed by thecross-wire. When the object lens is pointing directly to the right, forexample, the horizon appears as a vertical line and the line formed bythe cross-wire is horizontal. 'When the periscope is pointing directlyaft the horizon is again a horizontal line, and the line formed by thecross-wire is vertical, but the horizon is inverted.

This construction and disposition of parts is intended to permit theconnnanding ofiicer of the boat, herei'nbefore called the observer, tocon the vessel when on the surface, awash, or submerged, either throughthe usual sighting ports of the conning tower or by means of the opticaltube. He may search the horizon with the optical tube and take cont passbearings with the combined dummy compass and indicator gear.

The present application is a division of my co-pcnding applicationSerial Number 209,978, filed May 26, 1904.

Having thus described my invention, l claim l. A. submarine boat havingan upright socket, a periscope tube mounted in said socket for axialrotation therein and provided at its upper end. with a deflectingreflector for the light rays received, an eye piece extending laterallyfrom the lower end of said tube, a 'lower deflecting reflector whichdeflects the light rays to said eyepiece, a pointermoving as the opticaltube moves, and a stationary scale associated with the pointer. t

2. A submarine boat having an upright socket, a periscope tube mountedin said socket for axial rotation therein and provided at its upper end.with a deflecting rcfleetor for the light rays received, an eye pieceextending laterally from the lower end of said tube, a lower deflectingrctlector which deflects the light rays to 'said eyepiece, an indicatorhaving a pointer which is driven by the rotation of the optical tube,

and a rotatably adjustable compass card traversed by said pointer.

3. A submarine boat having a eriscope tube provided with an object lensat its upper end, means for rotating the .peri' scope tube on a verticalaxis to sweep the horizon, a stationary eye piece, means within theperiscope for deflecting the light rays to the eyepiece, a cross-wirefixed in the periscope tube, and a scale and pointer, one of which isfixed and the other of which 'is rotatable with the periscope tube,substantially as described.

4;. A submarine boat having a periscope tube provided with an objectlens at its upper end, means for rotating the eriscope tube on avertical-axis to sweepthe horizon, a stationary tie-piece, means withinthe periscope for deflecting the .light rays to the eye-piece, across-wire fixed in the peri-- scope tube and an indicator comprising apointer which rotates with the pcriscope tube and a rotatably adjustablecompass card. traversed by said pointer, substantially as described.

5. A submarine boat, having an upright socket to receive the opticaltube of an altiscope or like instrument, the said tube, axially rotativein said socket and provided at its upper end with a deflecting reflectortor the image received, means for rotating said tube, a lowerfixed-deflecting reflector for deflecting the image to an eye piece, thesaid eye piece, and a cross wire fixed in the optical tube.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name this 24th day ofDecember lflOt, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LiUVRENC-E Y. Spi l."

